The invention relates to a basket-like container for implanting bone tissue.
It is known to perform surgical interventions at spinal columns in order to replace defective intervertebral discs by implants. Adjacent vertebrae are stiffly connected with implants of this kind, which form the distance maintaining elements between vertebrae. It is also known to remove bone tissue from a patient in order to implant the former at a different location for reconstruction purposes, where this tissue grows together to a stiff body thanks to its regenerative force. In spinal columns it is advantageous when the named distance maintaining elements are at least partly produced with bone tissue, with it being possible for its regenerative forces to be of use.
The object of the invention is to create an implant by means of which bone tissue of a patient can be implanted in or between bones of the patient. In addition a diagnosis method must be realizable by means of which a progress of a bone tissue formation can be checked. This object is satisfied by a basket-like container for the reception of bone tissue designed for subsequent implantation to the body. The basket-like container defines a reception volume for bone tissue which is located within a wall which is arranged about an axis. This peripheral wall consists of a grid, which is a fabric or a mesh. The grid is selected to enable an X-ray optical seeing through of the unfilled reception volume transversely to the axis which amounts to at least 30%.
The basket-like container contains a reception volume for bone tissue. After a filling in of the bone tissue the container is implanted.
The reception volume is located within a wall which is arranged about an axis. This peripheral wall consists of a grid, a fabric or a mesh. Transversely to the axis the wall enables an X-ray optical seeing through of the unfilled reception volume. The surface component, which is permeable by X-rays, amounts to at least 30%.
Various constructions are disclosed for the container. In a first embodiment, the wall is built up of wires, which are crossed at binding points, with the wires of a first array being oriented largely parallel to the axis of the container. The remaining wires form a second array, being directed transversely to the first array. All the wires together provide a support function so that dense packing of bone tissue can occur into the reception volume. It is disclosed that the wires parallel to the axis can have a larger diameter than remaining wires. Furthermore, the wall of the container can be arranged to be seamless. The container can be provided with a base, which is transverse to the axis.
The central portion of the container can include a reinforcement wall connecting the peripheral wall in a reinforcing manner. Preferred construction of the grid includes titanium. Absorbable material can be incorporated to the wall. Furthermore the wall can be bounded by a ring. This ring can be placed at an edge, which extends transversely to the axis. Anchoring tips can be preferably arranged on the ring.
A method of use of the container is disclosed. The container can be used for surgical intervention at spinal columns. An intervertebral disc can be substituted by at least one containerxe2x80x94and preferably two containers. The container(s) produce a stiffening and distance maintaining connection between vertebrae of the spinal columns. Further, the container can be anchored to removed bone tissue by substituting at least part of the bone tissue filled container to the spatial interval from which bone tissue has been removed.